Community Grief Support (CGS) is hosting a two-day suicide conference on Aug. 17-18 at Canterbury United Methodist Church in Mountain Brook.
Eight total CE credits are available for all mental health professionals, nurses, funeral home directors and staff, and graduate students with a registration fee. The conference free and open to the public.
Since COVID began in early 2020, the nation state, and community have individually and collectively experienced significant loss—with the accompaniment of depression, anxiety, trauma, and complicated and exacerbated grief. Suicide deaths rose dramatically during and since COVID.
At 25th, Alabama’s suicide rate consistently ranks higher than the national rate. In response to this, Community Grief Support is taking a lead role to educate the community to help provide more awareness, more understanding and more education.
“Simply put, there isn’t enough education on suicide prevention or mental health for that matter; we wanted to create space where people can ask questions and learn more about suicide, including what resources are available, how to help, and how to make a difference,” said Catherine Pittman Smith, Administrative Director of Community Grief Support. “We live in a grief-avoidant society, and we tend to label, and put a mask on the subject of suicide with myths, misperceptions, and misinformation."
Partnering with the Alabama Suicide Prevention and Resources Coalition (ASPARC) and the University of Montevallo, Community Grief Support is hosting this educational program at Canterbury United Methodist Church.
The two-day conference begins Aug. 17 with keynote presentations by Noah Galloway, Karen Cook Thomas, and Cheryl Dodson followed by a “Stigma-Free Public Conversation” and Q&A panel, also featuring, local suicide expert, Judith Harrington, PhD, LPC-S, LMFT/University of Montevallo and CGS Clinical Director Steve Sweatt, LPC-S, LMFT, and moderated by Janice Rogers, anchor, WBRC Fox 6.
Noah Galloway, a veteran, Purple Heart recipient, author, double amputee, and fitness enthusiast is the first of three keynote speakers and will share his incredible story of his battle with depression and overcoming PTSD to find mental and physical wellness.
Karen Cook Thomas, board member of the Alabama Suicide Prevention and Resource Coalition (ASPARC), and Cheryl Dodson, Executive Director of ASPARC, will share prevention and intervention strategies on how to help loved ones in a mental health crisis and provide resources for support and understanding.
On Aug. 18, the workshop will be led by local suicide expert, Judith Harrington, PhD, LPC-S, LMFT/University of Montevallo, with Community Grief Support’s Clinical Director Steve Sweatt, LPC-S, LMFT. The conference is for all mental health and other professionals, including nurses, funeral home directors and staff, and graduate students. 8 CE credits are available for professionals at an additional charge.
For almost 30 years, Community Grief Support has provided—at no cost—individual, couples, and family grief counseling; more than 20 loss-specific grief support groups annually in 11 communities; and grief education programs throughout the Greater Birmingham area.
CGS' mission is to improve the quality of life for bereaved adults who face the challenge of rebuilding their lives without their loved ones – finding hope, healing, and even joy again.
The conference will take place on Thursday, Aug.17 from 7-9 p.m. (6 p.m. check-in) and on Friday, Aug.18 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (8 a.m. registration).
To learn more and register, visit CGS website: communitygriefsupport.org/unmasking-suicide-registration
Submitted by Community Grief Support
